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Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 1
City of South San Francisco
Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the South San Francisco
2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate Action Plan
and
Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Genentech Master Plan
State Clearinghouse Numbers: SCH # 2021020064 and SCH #2017052064
Executive Summary
The City of South San Francisco (SSF) has prepared this Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report
for the South San Francisco 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate Action
Plan (2040 GP EIR) and the EIR for the Genentech Master Plan (Master Plan EIR), together cited as the
Prior EIRs. The purposes of this Addendum are to update the Project Description included in each of
those Prior EIRs to include new details regarding Genentech’s proposed acquisition of certain public
rights-of-way within the Genentech Campus (including DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot
Road), the potential closure of these roads for public access, and Genentech’s proposed rezoning of six
properties to be added to the Genentech Master Plan. This Addendum to the Genentech Master Plan
EIR assesses the potential environmental effects associated with these actions. In preparing this EIR
Addendum, the City of South San Francisco has evaluated the potential acquisition of these street rights-
of-way and the public service easement on either side of the right-of-way, and the addition of these new
properties in light of the analysis in these Prior EIRs.
The primary conclusions of this CEQA Addendum are as follows:
• The Project does not include any proposal for new Campus development, street removal or
reconstruction within the Genentech Campus. Accordingly, the Project would have no
construction-related environmental impacts.
• The Project does not include any proposal for new Genentech operations. If the proposed rights-
of-way acquisitions by Genentech are approved, these streets will remain open to the public in
the near term but as private streets rather than public streets, and Genentech will have the right
to close these streets to public through traffic at its own discretion, providing that Genentech
maintains public access to the Wind Harp.
• No new development, redevelopment or reuse of the six new properties proposed to be added
to the Campus is currently proposed, and the Project would have no operations-related
environmental impacts.
• Although the Project would increase the acreage of properties within the Genentech Campus,
Genentech is not requesting an increase in the potential Campus buildout beyond the 9 million
square feet as assumed in the 2020 Master Plan (which is based on an FAR of 1.0 times the
overall Campus acreage). Accordingly, the Project would have no new or potentially more
severe cumulative environmental impacts than previously disclosed in the prior 2020 Genentech
Campus Master Plan EIR.
• The Project does not include any proposal for immediate closure of DNA Way, Point San Bruno
Boulevard or the short segment of Cabot Road to public through travel. The Project does create
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 2
the potential that Genentech may decide to close Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short
segment of Cabot Road, and the portion of DNA Way east of Wind Harp (hereafter referred to as
partial closure of DNA Way) to through traffic, as indicated in the 2020 Genentech Campus
Master Plan. Although no street closures are included as part of the current Project, the
possibility of these street/partial street closures has been analyzed. The conclusions of this
analysis is that the potential for future closure/partial closure of these streets would have no
new or more severe environmental impacts than those previously disclosed in the prior
Genentech Campus Master Plan EIR.
Based on these conclusions, an Addendum to these Prior EIRs is the appropriate CEQA documentation
necessary for the Project. This document serves as that CEQA Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan
EIR and the Genentech Master Plan EIR.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 3
Background
South San Francisco 2040 General Plan Update
In October of 2022 the City of South San Francisco adopted the South San Francisco 2040 General Plan
Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate Action Plan (SSF 2040 GP). The SSF 2040 GP presents
South San Francisco’s vision for the next two decades and provides, “a roadmap for the City to
implement policies and actions that create a resilient community, improve the quality of life of its
residents, and expand economic development opportunities.”1
Mobility and Access Element
Street Typology
Relevant to the proposed Project, the Mobility and Access Element of the SSF 2040 GP categorizes
streets in South San Francisco into five typologies: Boulevards, Connectors, Downtown Main Streets,
Industrial, and Neighborhood Streets. The SSF 2040 GP’s Roadway Network Map (see Figure 1)
illustrates the City’s street network.
As shown in Figure 1, DNA Way from East Grand Avenue to Forbes Boulevard is identified as an existing
Connector/Collector Street, and Point San Bruno Boulevard from DNA Way to East Grand Avenue is
identified as a combination of an existing and potential future Connector Road. Cabot Road, from
Allerton Avenue to DNA Way is identified as an existing Local Industrial Roadway.
• The Mobility and Access Element defines Connector/Collector streets as primary or secondary
streets within the City that serve as corridors to major destinations. These streets are designed
to provide mobility space for all travelers (vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders).
They also provide access to major destinations and denser residential or commercial areas, and
can accommodate moderate volumes of travelers. Connector streets generally have two travel
lanes, sometimes with short four-lane segments or a center left turn lane. Connectors have
sidewalks and provide on-street bicycle facilities and/or on-street parking.
• The Mobility and Access Element defines Local Industrial streets as similar to neighborhood
streets (typically two travel lanes and on-street parking, if street widths permit), but designed to
serve the needs of manufacturing and goods movement businesses that need access by larger
and heavier vehicles. Common vehicles often include vans, single unit trucks, and smaller semi-
trucks. Industrial streets may have two vehicle lanes, and occasionally wider lane widths to
accommodate larger vehicles.
The Mobility and Access Element also illustrates the South San Francisco truck network, which
differentiates streets that are designed to accommodate large freight trucks. These streets typically
require designing for larger vehicles, including lane configurations, curb radii and pavement types. The
truck network is expected to evolve over time as land uses change, but both DNA Way and Point San
Bruno Boulevard are identified as existing Truck Routes.
1 City of SSF, Shape SSF 2040 General Plan, February 2022, page 8
Figure 1
SSF 2040 General Plan Roadway Network Map
San Francisco Bay
Ferry
Terminal
San Bru n o C reek
e s Blv
£101
San Francisco
Source: SSF 2040 General Plan, Figure 14: Proposed Roadway Network
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 5
Key Issues and Opportunities
The SSF 2040 GP Mobility and Access Element identifies a number of key issues, opportunities and policy
positions relevant to transportation within the broader East of 101 Area, including the Genentech
Campus. These include the following:
• Matching Transportation Needs and Infrastructure: As South San Francisco continues to
experience growth and change, its transportation needs are increasingly mismatched with the
infrastructure and services constructed years ago to support “the Industrial City.” This mismatch
is especially apparent in the East of 101, Lindenville and the El Camino Real sub-areas, where
large auto-oriented streets are increasingly at-odds with higher density developments more
oriented toward walking, biking and transit use.
• Reshaping Travel Patterns: South San Francisco is uniquely positioned to capitalize on several
regional transportation improvements that can help reshape travel patterns for residents and
employees. These projects include planned service expansions by Caltrain, SamTrans, and San
Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), along with the new
Caltrain station providing a more direct connection to Downtown and the East of 101 sub-area.
These changes present opportunities to reduce vehicle miles traveled and shift vehicle trips
(especially longer distance commute trips) to transit. In order to realize the full potential of
these projects, South San Francisco will need to prioritize walkable station areas along with
first/last mile improvements that connect residents and employers with regional transit via
shuttles and active transportation facilities. Such improvements are particularly critical for the
East of 101 and Lindenville areas, where it is important for buses and shuttles to provide fast,
direct and reliable connections separated from traffic congestion and delays.
• Fast and Reliable Bus and Shuttle Operations: As the city grows, the transit network is expected
to evolve over time. In particular, South San Francisco is expected to see a substantial increase
in Caltrain service in the coming years as the agency implements its Business Plan service vision,
while ferry, bus, and shuttle service is also expected to grow to meet the city’s changing needs.
The city can support increased regional transit service via pursuing access improvements to its
stations and orienting employer transportation demand management programs around these
services. The city can also support fast and reliable bus and shuttle operations by implementing
improvements such as transit signal priority, bulb-outs and in-lane bus stops, and bus-only
lanes, particularly on its transit priority corridors.
• Eliminating All Injury Collisions: South San Francisco’s ‘Vision Zero’ intends to eliminate all injury
collisions on roadways. To achieve this vision, tradeoffs to prioritize safety will need to be made,
such as reducing vehicle speed limits on local streets or allotting more street space to vulnerable
users in the form of bikeways and sidewalks.
The SSF 2040 GP Mobility and Access Element anticipates that the city will need roughly $1 billion to
$1.2 billion in transportation upgrades over the next two decades to support buildout of the General
Plan, modernizing South San Francisco’s transportation system, and providing people with more choices
in how they travel within the city and region.2 It also presumes that the city will need to ‘right-size’ the
city’s transportation infrastructure by adding new streets and trail connections while phasing out
vestiges of the past, such as the city’s freight rail spurs.3 The Mobility and Access Element concludes that
2 SSF 2040 GP, Mobility Element, page 188
3 Ibid, page 178
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 6
by building a more multi-modal transportation network, South San Francisco can achieve a safe,
multimodal, sustainable, livable and connected City.
Land Use & Community Design Element
The Land Use Element identifies an important Subarea of the City as the East of 101 Subarea, which
covers all parts of the city that lie to the east of Highway 101. This Subarea covers over 1,600 acres, is
defined by large parcels and is bordered on the east by the San Francisco Bay. The East of 101 subarea
primarily contains employment-generating land uses such as office, life science and other R&D uses,
logistics, food processing, manufacturing and other industrial uses. Most life science uses are located
north of East Grand Avenue, with the Genentech campus being the largest corporate campus in East of
101.
Key Issues and Opportunities
The SSF 2040 GP Land Use & Community Design Element and the land Use Subarea Element identify a
number of key issues, opportunities and policy positions relevant to land use within the broader East of
101 Area, including the Genentech Campus. These include the following:
• Promote Urban Campus-Style Life Science Uses. Promote campus-style R&D uses for life science
and other innovative companies
• Community Gathering Spaces: Develop community-gathering spaces including plazas and pocket
parks, near mobility hubs. Work with developers and property owners (including BART and
Caltrain) near high-quality transit stops to provide community amenities, including privately-
owned public open spaces, plazas, community gardens, recreational spaces, seating, lighting,
public restrooms, water fountains, and other amenities for public use.
• Reduce Reliance on Automobiles in East of 101: Evaluate implementation of “mobility hubs,”
which are places where different travel networks (including walking, biking, transit, and shared
mobility) meet and provide convenient connections to destinations at the Caltrain Station, South
San Francisco BART Station, and the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal.
• Maintain Roadway Connections: Maintain roadways within East of 101 and foster connectivity
between East of 101 and the rest of South San Francisco.
• Maintain High-Quality Design and Development Standards (Policy LU-5.2): Maintain high-quality
design and development standards for R&D companies that support a mix of larger, higher-
intensity campuses.
• Require Campus Open Space (Policy LU-5.3): Require significant public and private open space
and outdoor amenities. Work with development projects to provide publicly accessible, private
open space as part of their site plans.
• Improve Connectivity for R&D Workforces (Policy LU-5.5): Maintain vehicular infrastructure and
improve circulation to accommodate the unique demands for R&D workplaces.
• Collaboration with Property Owners (Policy LU-5.7): Collaborate with property owners and
private developers to define collective action to achieve plan goals.
The SSF 2040 GP Land Use & Community Design Element designates the Genentech Campus as
“Genentech Master Plan”, a private campus with corporate headquarters, research and development
facilities and offices. It also refers to the Genentech Campus Master Plan for more details.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 7
SSF 2040 General Plan Program EIR
Pursuant to the provisions of CEQA, the City of South San Francisco circulated a Draft EIR for the General
Plan Update (the SSF 2040 GP Draft EIR) from June 24 through August 9, 2022. After the close of the
public review period, the City of South San Francisco prepared a Final EIR consisting of the comments
received on significant environmental issues. In September of 2022, the City prepared a Final EIR for the
SSF 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate Action Plan. Prior to adopting the
SSF 2040 General Plan, the City certified this EIR (SSF 2040 GP EIR, State Clearinghouse No.
2021020064).
The SSF 2040 GP EIR is considered a Program EIR per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15168 and 15183. As
such, subsequent activities pursuant to the SSF 2040 GP are subject to requirements under each of
these CEQA Guidelines sections, including applicable mitigation measures identified in the SSF 2040 GP
EIR to address potential cumulative environmental effects. The SSF 2040 GP EIR determined that
development consistent with the SSF 2040 General Plan would primarily result in impacts that would be
less than significant or reduced to a less than significant level with the implementation of General Plan
policies and/or mitigation measures identified in that SSF 2040 General Plan EIR.
Significant unavoidable impacts were identified in the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR for the following
environmental topics:
• Implementation of the SSF 2040 General Plan would conflict with or obstruct implementation of
the applicable air quality plan
• Implementation of the SSF 2040 General Plan would result in a cumulatively considerable net
increase of criteria pollutants for which the region is nonattainment under applicable federal or
State ambient air quality standards
• Implementation of the SSF 2040 General Plan would conflict or be inconsistent with CEQA
Guidelines Section 15064.3, subdivision (b) regarding vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
Due to the potential for significant unavoidable impacts, a Statement of Overriding Considerations was
adopted as part of the City’s approvals of the SSF 2040 General Plan.
This prior Program EIR is incorporated by reference, and can be obtained from the City of South San
Francisco Planning Division at 315 Maple Avenue, or online at:
https://weblink.ssf.net/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=501924&dbid=0&repo=SSFDocs
2020 Genentech Campus Master Plan
In 2020, the City of South San Francisco adopted the 2020 Genentech Campus Master Plan (Master
Plan). The Master Plan articulates a vision for new growth and development within the 207-acre
Genentech Campus. It serves as a general guide for future placement and design of individual buildings
and other Campus improvements, and its development program provides a basis for future project
approvals. The Master Plan provides the City and Genentech with flexibility to implement the Master
Plan on a project-by-project basis such that new elements of the Campus will maintain or exceed the
high standards of design and construction that Genentech has already established at the Campus. The
Master Plan also served as the basis for changes and amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinance to
ensure consistency and reliability between the Master Plan and the City’s Genentech Master Plan
District zoning regulations.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 8
A fundamental land use objective of the Genentech Campus Master Plan is to accommodate a
responsible level of Campus growth and development that is consistent with the City’s land-use policies
and regulations, but that secures Genentech’s ability to grow. Important provisions of the Master Plan
related to Campus growth and development include the following.
• The Master Plan establishes a facility-wide development standard of a maximum FAR of 1.0
times the total area of all lots within the Master Plan, providing for a buildout potential of the
approximately 207-acre Campus of just over 9 million square feet, or an anticipated future
construction of approximately 4.3 million square feet of net new building space.
• The Master Plan recognizes that development of building space by land use type may vary over
time, and permits flexibility in order to allow Genentech to respond most efficiently to its
business needs, as long as the Campus-wide FAR is not exceeded.
• The Master Plan recognizes several smaller neighborhood campuses (the Lower, Mid, Upper,
West and South campus) as organizing elements of the overall Genentech Campus.
Neighborhood campuses may emphasize a primary function or use, or may contain a more
complex “campus-within-a-Campus” complete with offices, labs, amenity space and
manufacturing capabilities.
• The Master Plan identifies numerous Opportunity Sites where new development or
redevelopment was considered most likely to occur. These Opportunity Sites generally
represent surface parking lots, outmoded buildings, undeveloped infill sites and undeveloped
hillside areas.
• The Master Plan recognizes that DNA Way is the main public street to the Genentech Campus,
but raised the possibility of closing DNA Way through the Upper Campus to create a more
pedestrian-oriented place in the center of the Campus where people are prioritized over
vehicles.
• The Master Plan commits to an expansion of the capacity of Genentech’s currently robust TDM
program, commensurate with new development. The Master Plan establishes a relationship
between TDM performance and net new development.
2020 Genentech Campus Master Plan EIR
The City of South San Francisco prepared and circulated a Draft EIR for the Genentech Campus Master
Plan (Master Pan EIR). The public review and comment period on the Master Plan Draft EIR was from
November through the end of December 2019. During that public review and comment period, the City
of South San Francisco held a public hearing before the City Planning Commission on December 19,
2019. After the close of the public review period, the City of South San Francisco prepared a Final EIR
consisting of the comments received on significant environmental issues. In May of 2020, the City
prepared a Final EIR for the Genentech Master Plan.
Prior to adopting the Genentech Master Plan in January 2020, the City certified the Master Plan EIR
(State Clearinghouse No. 2017052064) and adopted CEQA findings, including adoption of a Statement of
Overriding Considerations and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. That EIR provides the
environmental review necessary for approval of the proposed Genentech Campus Master Plan Update,
approval of a zoning text amendment to the Genentech Master Plan zoning district, and approval of a
Development Agreement between the City and Genentech. The Final EIR concluded that
implementation of the Master Plan would result in the following environmental impacts that would be
considered significant and unavoidable:
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 9
• A cumulatively considerable net increase of criteria pollutants for which the region is non-
attainment
• Construction -generated noise levels that may exceed noise standards
• Level of service (LOS)-based traffic impacts that would conflict with applicable plans, ordinances
or policies at several traffic study intersections, along freeway segments on US 101, and at
freeway interchanges
All other potentially significant impacts would be reduced to less than significant levels with regulatory
requirements applicable to new development and mitigation measures recommended in the EIR.
As was clearly indicated in the City’s CEQA Findings, the EIR for the Genentech 2020 Master Plan Update
was a Program EIR as defined under CEQA Guidelines Section 15168 (the 2020 Program EIR). The 2020
Program EIR provides sufficient detail to enable the City and other responsible governmental agencies to
make informed site-specific decisions on future individual development projects and other actions
within the Genentech Campus. The City intends to use the streamlining and tiering provisions of CEQA
to the maximum feasible extent, so that future environmental review of individual development
projects within the Genentech Campus, and public improvement projects carried out in furtherance of
the Campus Master Plan Update, are expeditiously undertaken without the need for repetitive and
redundant environmental review. To the extent possible, the City of South San Francisco intends to rely
on the 2020 Program EIR to provide environmental review for subsequent projects that are analyzed as
part of that Prior EIR. When individual projects contemplated under the Master Plan Update are
proposed, the City will consider whether those projects’ environmental effects were fully disclosed,
analyzed and as needed, mitigated within this 2020 Program EIR. That consideration will determine
whether the subsequent project is exempt from further CEQA review, whether the subsequent project
warrants preparation of an Addendum to that EIR, or necessitates subsequent or supplemental
environmental review.4
4 SSF, Genentech Master Plan Draft EIR, October 2019, page 1-10
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 10
Project Description
The 2020 Genentech Master Plan continues to provide a useful framework for Genentech's growth and
development, but Genentech believes that long-term planning for the Campus will be better integrated
by acknowledging the addition of three new properties now owned or used by Genentech under long-
term lease, as well as the proposed privatization of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the 1-
block segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way.
In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164, the City of South San Francisco is
amending the prior Genentech Master Plan EIR and the City’s SSF 2040 General Plan EIR through this
Addendum. This Addendum addresses the activities and potential environmental effects associated with
adding new properties to the Genentech Campus and its associated Master Plan, as well as the
proposed privatization of the DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road rights-of-way, in the
context of those prior EIRs.
Project Site(s)
Recent Property Acquisitions
The South San Francisco Zoning Code contains provisions for the Genentech Master Plan that anticipate
and generally require the rezoning of properties that are subsequently purchased or leased by
Genentech. Accordingly, recent and anticipated near-term property acquisitions by Genentech
necessitate rezoning. The following properties (see Figure 2) are proposed to be added to the
Genentech Master Plan and rezoned to the Genentech Master Plan District:
• The property now owned by Genentech and located at 333 Point San Bruno Boulevard (APN
015-250-410) consisting of approximately 0.5 acres, and APN 015-250-140, consisting of
approximately 1.4 acres (previously known as the Lithotype property),
• The property now owned by Genentech and located at 525 DNA Way (APN 015-250-210)
consisting of approximately 3.1 acres (previously known as the Bakery Institute), and
• The property now under long-term lease and with Genentech’s intent to acquire, located at 383-
393 East Grand Avenue (APN 015-250-390) consisting of approximately 4.7 acres (known as the
Dome Construction site)
These three properties total 9.7 acres, which are proposed to be added to the Genentech Master Plan
and rezoned to the Genentech Master Plan District.
Genentech’s recent acquisition of the property at 525 DNA Way does not include the short public
easement connecting DNA Way to the Wind Harp Park site. The easement between the property at 525
DNA Way and the adjacent Genentech Parcel 19 remains as a public access easement.
Figure 2
Properties to be Added to the Genentech Master Plan
Parcel 1
Parcel 8
Parcel 14
Parcel 16
Parcel 9
Parcel 7
Parcel 18
Parcel 17
Parcel 13
Parcel 2
Parcel 24
Parcel 23
Parcel 10
Parcel 20
Parcel 4
Parcel 15
Parcel 19 Parcel 12
Parcel 11
Parcel 22
Parcel 21
Parcel 25
Parcel 6C
Parcel 6B
Parcel 6A
Parcel 5
Parcel 26
Parcel 26
Parcel 3
Parcel 6B
Parcel 6C
Parcel 6A
525 DNA Way
(APN 015-250-210)
333 Point San Bruno Blvd.
(APN 015-250-410 and 015-250-140
383-393 East Grand Avenue
(APN 015-250-390)
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 12
Public Rights-of-Way
At the time of preparation of the Genentech Master Plan and the SSF 2040 General Plan, those
properties not owned or controlled by Genentech but within the boundaries of the Genentech Master
Plan were accessed via the public streets of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and/or the 1-block
segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way. With recent acquisitions, all properties
within the Genentech Campus boundaries other than Wind Harp Park and the CalWater parcel are now
owned or controlled by Genentech. DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of
Cabot Road now only serve land uses that are internal to the Genentech Campus, except the Wind Harp
property which is accessed from DNA Way. The CalWater property is primarily accessed via East Grand
Avenue, but can also be accessed from DNA Way via the pedestrian access easement to the Wind Harp
property.
In exchange for financial compensation to the City, Genentech now seeks to acquire the rights-of-way
underlying these three public streets and the public service easement on either side, and requests that
the City vacate these streets as public roadways. The segments of existing roadways identified for
acquisition and street vacation include the following:
• Approximately 4,930 linear feet of the DNA Way right-of way from East Grand Avenue to Forbes
Boulevard (approximately 6.78 acres at a 60-foot right-of-way width)
• Approximately 720 linear feet of the Point San Bruno Boulevard right-of way from DNA Way to it
cul-de-sac terminus (approximately 1.1 acres at a 66-foot right-of-way width), and
• Approximately 512 linear feet of the Cabot Road right-of way from Allerton to DNA Way
(approximately 0.67 acres at a 57-foot right-of-way width)
These street rights-of-way, which total 8.55 acres (see Figure 3), are proposed to be added to the
Genentech Master Plan and rezoned to the Genentech Master Plan District.
Total Genentech Campus Additions (Land and Buildings)
The combined total of newly acquired properties and street rights-of-way proposed to be added to the
Genentech Master Plan and rezoned to the Genentech Master Plan District equals approximately 18.3
acres. With the addition of these properties and rights-of-way to the Campus Master Plan Area, the total
Campus acreage will increase from 207 acres to approximately 225 acres. The addition of recent
property acquisitions that contain existing buildings would increase the baseline of existing
development that is included within the Master Plan District by approximately 103,800 square feet of
currently built space, as shown in Table 1.
Figure 3
Street Rights-of-Way Proposed to be Added to the Genentech Master Plan Zoning District
Parcel 1
Parcel 8
Parcel 14
Parcel 16
Parcel 9
Parcel 7
Parcel 18
Parcel 17
Parcel 13
Parcel 2
Parcel 24
Parcel 23
Parcel 10
Parcel 20
Parcel 4
Parcel 15
Parcel 19 Parcel 12
Parcel 11
Parcel 22
Parcel 21
Parcel 25
Parcel 6C
Parcel 6B
Parcel 6A
Parcel 5
Parcel 26
Parcel 26
Parcel 3
Parcel 6B
Parcel 6C
Parcel 6A
Cabot Road
29,370 sf
0.67 acres Point San Bruno Blvd.
48,053 sf
1.10 acres
DNA Way
295,498 sf
6.78 acres
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 14
Table 1: Proposed Campus Master Plan Additions
Acres Bldg. Square Feet
333 Point San Bruno Boulevard (former Lithotype) 1.9 38,900
525 DNA Way (former Baking Inst.) 3.1 32,500
383-393 East Grand Avenue (Dome Construction) 4.7 32,400
9.7 103,800
Rights-of-Way (total) 8.6
Total Additions to Master Plan: 18.3 103,800
Existing Campus: 207 4,800,3901
Total Campus, with Proposed Additions 225 4,904,190
Notes: 1. 2020 Baseline per Master Plan of 4,845,000 sf, plus 12,100 sf (B38 Security Building) and 79,900 (Clinical Supply Center Building),
less demo of 121,200 sf (Building 84/Bayview Parcel) and demo of 15,411 sf (Building B39) = 4,800,390
Project Implications for Master Plan Buildout
With the addition of these new properties, Genentech is not requesting an increase in the potential
Campus buildout beyond the 9 million square feet assumed in the 2020 Master Plan. As stated on page
118 of the 2020 Campus Master Plan: “... the approximately 207-acre Campus shall be limited to
9,008,000 square feet, at an FAR of 1.0.” Although the proposed rezone of these properties would
increase the total Campus by 18.3 acres (resulting in a corresponding 797,150 square feet of
development potential at an FAR of 1.0), Genentech does not propose to increase the potential buildout
and development capacity of the Campus beyond the 9,008,000 square feet as approved in the 2020
Master Plan.
Furthermore, any future development on these additional new properties will be subject to the Master
Plan’s TDM goals for the Campus, will comply with all parking and other provisions of the Genentech
Master Plan zoning district, and will be further regulated by the Master Plan’s Trip Cap, which is
equivalent to a maximum of 5,216 total drive-alone trips arriving at the Campus during the AM peak
hour.
The proposed rezoning is consistent with all applicable SSF Municipal Code provisions for adding parcels
to the Master Plan.
Physical Implications of Proposed Rezoning (the Project)
Genentech does not have any pending project applications or pre-applications for new Campus
development involving any of the three recently added properties that are proposed for rezoning. The
existing buildings on these properties may be repurposed for Genentech’s use, but no redevelopment of
these properties is currently proposed.
Similarly, Genentech does not have any pending project applications or pre-applications for new
Campus development involving any of the rights-of-way of the proposed street acquisitions. Pursuant to
the Project, the existing streets at DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot
Road will remain, but as private streets primarily serving the Genentech Campus. Genentech is not
currently proposing removal, closure or partial closure of these streets for public travel, but approval of
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 15
the Project would give Genentech the right to close these streets to pubic through traffic at Genentech’s
discretion, as long as public access to the Wind Harp is maintained.
Underground public infrastructure that exists within public utility easements, many of which lie beneath
or adjacent to these proposed street acquisitions, will be unaffected in the short-term. Genentech is not
currently proposing any alteration or realignment of these public utility easements.
In short, the proposed Project is limited to the following actions:
• Amending the South San Francisco General Plan by removing three street segments (DNA Way,
Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road) as public roads
• Adding six properties to the Genentech Master Plan, and rezoning these properties to the
Genentech Master Plan District
• Genentech’s acquisition from the City of three current public rights-of-way underlying DNA Way,
Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road, including the public service
easement on either side of these roadways
• City vacation of these street rights-of way
No physical change to the Genentech Campus or to these existing streets is currently proposed as part
of the Project.
Cumulative Development Potential
Over the longer term, it is likely that Genentech may seek to include the three newly added properties
and potentially segments of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road into future Campus
redevelopment projects. However, no such redevelopment project is included as part of the current
Project, and Genentech has not filed any project applications or pre-applications for such
redevelopment projects. When any Campus redevelopment projects that involve these newly acquired
properties and/or rights-of-way are proposed, such projects will be subject to the City’s approval and
appropriate environmental review process at that time.
As noted above, any Campus redevelopment projects that involve these newly acquired properties will
be reviewed for consistency with all applicable provisions of the Genentech Campus Master Plan,
including the Campus-wide maximum FAR of 1.0, applicable SSF Municipal Code zoning provisions, and
the Genentech Master Plan’s Trip Cap and TDM performance requirements.
Any Campus redevelopment projects that involve these newly acquired properties will also be subject to
individual CEQA review when they may be proposed. Consistent with CEQA Guidelines, such subsequent
CEQA review will then consider the extent to which such redevelopment projects may result in new or
more severe environmental effects not previously disclosed in the prior Genentech Master Plan Program
EIR.
Potential for Future Roadway Closures
The acquisition of public rights-of-way and City vacation of the public streets at DNA Way, Point San
Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road creates the potential that Genentech (as the new
owner of these streets) may decide to close Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot
Road, and partial closure of DNA Way east of Wind Harp, to public through traffic. Although Genentech
is not currently proposing any street closures at this time, approval of the Project and City vacation of
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 16
these streets would enable Genentech to close Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of
Cabot Road, and to partially close DNA Way east of Wind Harp to public through travel, at its discretion.
The potential for a future street closure/partial street closure strategy is generally consistent with the
planning direction provided in the Genentech Campus Master Plan for creating a more pedestrian-
oriented place in the center of the Campus. The removal of non-Genentech through traffic on DNA Way
through the center of the Campus could create new opportunities for implementing placemaking
strategies and people-focused outdoor places as identified in the Genentech Master Plan, such as
courtyards, plazas and terraces; improved pedestrian connections between buildings; and outdoor
seating areas, terraced gardens and open lawn space with prominent sculpture and artwork (see Figure
4).
Short-Term Traffic Implications of a Potential Future Road Closure
The small segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way is a local street that provides
a connection between DNA Way and Allerton Avenue. Land uses adjacent to this segment of Cabot Road
are Genentech-based childcare facilities, warehouses and small offices. Potential closure of the small
segment of Cabot Road to public through traffic would not limit Genentech-based traffic from accessing
these childcare facilities, warehouses and small office space, which is the primary traffic that uses this
short segment of roadway. Although no traffic counts for this segment of Cabot Road have been
conducted, closure of this road as a public cut-through route between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way
would have little to no effect on public traffic conditions or area-wide circulation. East Grand Avenue,
approximately 950 feet to the south on Allerton Avenue, will continue to provide a connection between
Allerton Avenue and the portion of DNA Way to remain open to public use.
The segment of Cabot Road on the opposite (west) side of Allerton Avenue is about a 1-block long cul-
de-sac serving non-Genentech light industrial and R&D uses. Genentech’s potential road closure of
Cabot Road east of Allerton would have no effect on public use of Cabot Road west of Allerton.
The potential traffic implications of partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno
Boulevard to public through travel has been analyzed by the transportation consultants at Fehr & Peers
under current and anticipated cumulative conditions (see Appendix x).5 Based on this analysis, a
potential partial closure of DNA Way would result in negligible effects on current traffic conditions and
area-wide circulation. Both DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard serve a low volume of mostly
Genentech travel, and most of those trips would be redistributed within the Campus. While some non-
Genentech pass-through vehicle trips (about 60 to 120 per day) would be diverted to adjacent streets,
this effect is expected to be negligible. Access to the Bay Trail and surrounding land uses would be
unaffected. These conclusions are addressed in detail below.
5 Fehr & Peers, Analysis of Potential Closure of DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard, February 10, 2025
Figure 4
Genentech Campus Master Plan – Concept Plan for Pedestrian-Oriented
Space in the Campus Core
Source: SSF, Genentech Campus Master Plan, 2020
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 18
Existing Traffic Volumes
Fehr & Peers collected traffic counts on DNA Way near Genentech’s Building 34 and on Point San Bruno
Boulevard during a full week period in early 2024. These traffic counts measured traffic volumes across
peak and off-peak hours, and on weekdays versus weekends. These traffic counts found that DNA Way
serves about 2,500 to 3,500 vehicles per weekday, and fewer than 600 vehicles on weekend days. The
significant difference in weekday versus weekend volumes illustrates DNA Way’s role in serving the
Genentech Campus, which has far less people present on weekends. Overall, DNA Way functions as a
minor local-serving street and serves a fraction of traffic volumes as compared to other, more major
streets in the East of 101 Area such as Oyster Point Boulevard and East Grand Avenue, which typically
serve over 20,000 vehicles per day (about five to eight times the traffic volumes on DNA Way).
Point San Bruno Boulevard, which is accessed from DNA Way, serves about 2,200 to 2,600 vehicles per
weekday, and approximately 300 to 400 vehicles on weekend days. Like DNA Way, the significant
difference in weekday versus weekend volumes illustrates Point San Bruno Boulevard’s role in serving
the Genentech Campus, particularly Parking Structure 2 and adjacent surface parking lots.
Travel Destinations
DNA Way primarily serves travel associated with the Genentech Campus. About 95 percent of current
trips on DNA Way start or end within the Genentech campus along DNA Way, and only about 5 percent
(or about 180 trips on a typical midweek day) pass through the Campus to somewhere else. Pass-
through travel includes trips with an origin and destination beyond DNA Way. The pass-through travel is
generally higher in the northbound direction compared to southbound. Some proportion of this pass-
through travel is still associated with Genentech operations, including trips associated with gRide buses,
security vehicles, carpools, vanpools, ride-hailing services, intra-campus freight and deliveries. For these
reasons, the total volume of non-Genentech trips along DNA Way is likely between 60 and 120 trips per
day.
Summary of Short-Term Effects of Partial Closure of DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard
The summary potential effects of partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard
to non-Genentech, public through travel is presented below. This analysis is provided because
closure/partial closure of these streets is a reasonably foreseeable outcome of Genentech’s acquisition
of these rights of way.
• Closure of the short segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way to public
through traffic will not affect Genentech’s access to its childcare facilities, warehouse or office
space, which this segment of roadway serves. The public traffic connection between Allerton
Avenue and DNA Way via East Grand Avenue (less than 1,000 feet to the south) will remain
unaffected and available for public use.
• Partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard to through traffic would be
implemented as part of the Genentech Master Plan, together with changes to buildings and
parking facilities, with a consolidation of Campus parking garages on the periphery of the
Campus. The overall scope of these changes is consistent with the Master Plan’s Transportation
Impact Analysis. Public access on DNA Way will remain available from East Grand Avenue to the
Wind Harp or to the Building 35 parking area.
• Partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard would result in the
redistribution of certain Genentech-based through traffic within the Genentech Campus.
Roadway connections to the Campus would be maintained along Forbes Boulevard, Allerton
Avenue and East Grand Avenue, and these other roadway connections would facilitate auto,
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 19
freight and emergency vehicle access. Emergency vehicle access through the Campus would also
be maintained via a network of service roads consistent with the fire code.
Partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard would result in
displacement of some pass-through traffic to other nearby streets like Forbes Boulevard, East
Grand Avenue and Allerton Avenue. The currently estimated 60 to 120 daily pass-through
vehicle trips along DNA Way would likely divert to Forbes Boulevard, Allerton Avenue and East
Grand Avenue. This diversion equates to fewer than 10 vehicles per hour during peak hours, and
is unlikely to be noticed among the hundreds to thousands of vehicles using these streets during
peak hours.
The San Francisco Bay Trail contains roughly 350 miles of trails that circle the San Francisco Bay
and serves hikers, joggers, bicyclists, skaters, and wheelchair users. The trail includes a segment
that runs along the eastern edge of the Campus’ waterfront, with a small parking lot at the end
of Forbes Boulevard near DNA Way. The partial closure of, or limiting access to DNA Way would
not impact access to the San Francisco Bay Trail. Vehicle access to the Bay Trail would be
maintained via Forbes Boulevard, and bicycle access would be maintained via Forbes Boulevard
and the parallel trail through the Campus. Publicly accessible Bay Trail parking at the end of East
Grand Avenue would also be unaffected.
Longer-Term (Cumulative) Traffic Implications of Future Road Closure/Partial Closure
Fehr & Peers has relied on the Cumulative plus Project traffic scenario from the 2020 Genentech Master
Plan EIR to evaluate the potential impacts of partial closure of DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard
on the surrounding roadway network under cumulative (or buildout) conditions. For this analysis, it is
assumed that the Genentech Master Plan EIR’s evaluation is representative of cumulative conditions,
although Genentech’s trip generation and distribution will continue to develop as Campus planning
efforts evolve.
Genentech Cumulative Trips
The cumulative scenario as presented in the Genentech Master Plan EIR forecasts the following traffic
split for travel patterns to the Genentech Campus:
AM Peak Ingress: Approximately 55% of Genentech’s AM peak hour trips under Campus
buildout are expected to access the Genentech campus via East Grand Avenue (with 20% of
these morning trips turning left off of East Grand to access garages along DNA Way, and the
remaining 35% of morning trips travel straight on East Grand to access both non-Genentech
facilities and Genentech parking structures). The other 45% of Genentech’s AM peak hour trips
access the Genentech Campus from the north (about 21% travel eastbound on Forbes, while the
remaining 24% travel from Oyster Point, turning right onto Gull Drive and then left onto Forbes).
PM Peak Egress: Approximately 58% of Genentech’s PM peak hour trips under Campus buildout
are expected to exit the Genentech Campus by funneling onto westbound East Grand Avenue at
DNA Way. The other 42% of Genentech’s PM peak hour trips are expected to exit via the
northern periphery of the Campus, with 23% continuing straight onto westbound Forbes and
eventually turning right at Forbes/East Grand, and the remaining 19% traveling northbound on
Gull to Oyster Point.
Table 2 shows the Cumulative (including Genentech Campus buildout) trips along DNA Way at the
southern end of the DNA Way corridor near East Grand Avenue, during the morning and evening
commute peak hour. The number of trips for both Genentech and non-Genentech pass-through traffic
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 20
are forecast to increase proportionally with the increase in Genentech-generated trips. Pass-through
traffic is determined as a percent of Genentech trips at DNA Way/East Grand Avenue because the land
uses east of DNA Way/East Grand Avenue are almost exclusively owned and used by Genentech (except
for the San Francisco Bay Trail along the Bay shore).
Table 2: Cumulative + Project Trips along DNA Way between East Grand and Cabot Road
AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
Total Trips, Cumulative plus GNE Buildout 1,061 813
Genentech Cumulative Pass-Through Trips 24 (2%) 16 (2%)
Non-Genentech Cumulative Trips 11 (1%) 41 (5%)
Note: Total Trips are derived from the Genentech Master Plan EIR, and the Genentech cumulative pass-through trips and non-Genentech
cumulative trips are presumed to be within plus/minus 30 percent of the volume reported here
As shown, the non-Genentech pass through trips account for roughly 2% of total cumulative traffic in
the AM peak hour, and 5% of total cumulative traffic in the PM peak hour on DNA Way.
The partial closure of DNA Way would necessitate changes in planned access to future Genentech
parking structures as was analyzed in the Genentech Master Plan EIR, and these changes would affect
the anticipated distribution of future Genentech trips. Most importantly, those parking structures that
the Genentech Master Plan anticipated to be developed along the south and west portion of DNA Way
would instead most likely be accessed via East Grand Avenue. Approximately 75% of Genentech-based
trips along DNA Way would likely shift onto East Grand Avenue to the Genentech South Campus, where
access to more parking will be available. Genentech-based trips entering and exiting from the northern
periphery of the Campus would not change, as the share of parking accessible from the north would
remain constant.
Summary of Cumulative Effects of Partial Closure of DNA Way and Closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard
Based on these assumptions, a summary of the potential effects of partial closure of DNA Way and
closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road under cumulative conditions
is presented below. This analysis is provided because closure/partial closure of these streets is a
reasonably foreseeable outcome of Genentech’s acquisition of these rights of way.
Closure of the short segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way to public
through traffic will have little effect on cumulative traffic conditions. This roadway segment
serves Genentech land uses (childcare, warehouse and office space). The public traffic
connection between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way via East Grand Avenue (less than 1,000 feet
to the south) will remain unaffected and available for public use under cumulative conditions.
Closure of DNA Way under a cumulative scenario will have the same impact on Genentech-
based trips as evaluated under existing conditions. These trips will be redirected towards the
periphery of the Genentech Campus, but auto, freight and emergency access will be maintained
through the Campus via other connections. There will continue to be a north-south private
street connecting Forbes Boulevard and East Grand Avenue on the east side of the Campus even
if portions of Point San Bruno Boulevard are closed. This connectivity will maintain the loop
configuration of the internal circulation network and allow Genentech employee commute trips,
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 21
Genentech service trips and emergency vehicle trips to maneuver around Campus in effectively
the same way that they do now.
• There would be no change to Genentech-based trips on the north side of the Campus.
Genentech’s vehicle travel on Oyster Point, Gull Drive and Forbes Boulevard would generally
remain the same as presented in the Master Plan EIR.
• Partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard would add significantly
more Genentech-based trips along East Grand Avenue to the Genentech South Campus, where
this Genentech traffic would be redistributed to existing and future parking garages in the
southerly portion of the Campus. Retaining a north-south private street between East Grand
Avenue and Forbes Boulevard on the east side of the Campus will provide an alternate route to
East Grand Avenue (i.e., to Oyster Point Boulevard) for Genentech employee commute trips
traveling to and from parking facilities on the South Campus, consistent with travel patterns
evaluated in the Genentech Master Plan.
• Traffic volumes under the cumulative condition on East Grand Avenue to the west of the DNA
Way intersection (including traffic attributed to Genentech Campus buildout) would remain
consistent with the analysis as presented in the Genentech Master Plan EIR, even with the
partial closure of DNA Way.
• The cumulative non-Genentech pass-through vehicle trips expected along DNA Way in the AM
and PM peak hours would divert to Forbes Boulevard, Allerton Avenue and East Grand Avenue.
Under the cumulative scenario, the volume of these AM peak hour diversions remain small and
unlikely to impact traffic operations along any of these alternative routes. The cumulative PM
peak hour diversion of non-Genentech pass-through traffic volumes are higher, but would still
only contribute an increase of about 1 percent to 2 percent of traffic along these alternative
routes, and would be unlikely to cause a change in operational conditions along Forbes or
Allerton beyond the forecasts presented in the Genentech Master Plan EIR under cumulative
conditions.
• The partial closure of DNA Way would not impact cumulative access to the San Francisco Bay
Trail, as vehicle access would be maintained via Forbes Boulevard and bicycle access would be
maintained via Forbes Boulevard and the parallel trail through the Campus. Publicly accessible
Bay Trail parking at the end of East Grand Avenue would also remain unaffected. Increased
vehicle volumes along the northerly fork of East Grand Avenue toward Parking Structure A in the
South Campus may result in this northerly fork of East Grand Avenue being a less desirable bike
route. However, the northerly fork of East Grand Avenue is not designated or marked as a bike
route, whereas bike access to the Bay Trail is currently facilitated via existing bike sharrows
marked along the southern fork of East Grand through the South Campus, which connect to the
Bay Trail near the Old San Bruno Channel pedestrian bridge.
Project Approvals Required
South San Francisco approvals needed for the Project include the following:
• General Plan Amendment to remove the portion of DNA Way east of Wind Harp, Point San
Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road as public streets
• Rezoning of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road to the
Genentech Master Plan District
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 22
• Rezoning of three newly acquired or Genentech-controlled properties to the Genentech Master
Plan District
• Transfer of ownership of the rights-of-way (including the adjacent pubic service easements) on
for DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road to Genentech
• Approval of a license agreement that would permit continued public access to the streets in the
immediate term
These requested Project approvals are described in detail below.
South San Francisco 2040 General Plan Amendments
Like the rest of the Genentech Campus, the three parcels that were recently acquired by Genentech
already have a General Plan land use designation of Business Technology Park, and no General Plan
amendment is necessary to re-designate these properties as part of the Genentech Campus.
Proposed Roadway Network Diagram
The Mobility and Access chapter of the SSF 2040 General Plan contains a roadway network diagram
(Figure 14: Proposed Roadway Network, page 182). A modification of this General Plan diagram is
required to remove DNA Way as an ‘Existing Connector (Collector)’ roadway (see Figure 5).
As defined in the General Plan, “Connector (Collector) streets are primary or secondary streets within
the city that serve as corridors to major destinations.” While the Genentech Campus is a major
destination, DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road are overwhelmingly used by
employees of Genentech. These Genentech employees will maintain access to the Campus via other
existing streets that surround the Campus (i.e., Forbes Boulevard, Allerton Avenue and East Grand
Avenue).
Other Diagrams
The SSF 2040 General Plan uses the same map of the base street network throughout all figures of the
General Plan to provide context to the reader. This base map includes a legend that identifies DNA Way
and Point San Bruno Boulevard as Connector Streets. Removal of portions of DNA Way, Point San Bruno
Boulevard and Cabot Road as public streets from the base map on these other General Plan figures
would not alter or change the relevant information presented of these other General Plan figures.
South San Francisco Zoning Map Changes
Unlike the rest of the Genentech Campus that is zoned as ‘Genentech Master Plan District’ (GMPD), the
three parcels recently acquired by Genentech have a current zoning designation of ‘Business Technology
Park – Medium’ (BTP-M). To better incorporate these parcels into the Genentech Master Plan,
Genentech seeks to have these three properties re-zoned to ‘Genentech Master Plan District’, like all
other properties (other than Wind Harp and the CalWater parcel) within the Genentech Campus (see
Figure 6).
As current public streets, DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road do not have any
applicable City zoning designations. To better incorporate these parcels into the Genentech Master Plan,
Genentech seeks to have these roadway rights-of-way similarly zoned as ‘Genentech Master Plan
District’.
Figure 5
Proposed Amendments to SSF General Plan Diagram
Source: SSF 2040 General Plan
SHAPE SSF: 2040 GENERAL PLAN
SUB-AREAS 6
98 99
EAST OF 101
The East of 101 sub-area covers all parts of the city that lie to the
east of Highway 101. By far the largest sub-area geographically, it
covers over 1,600 acres, is defined by large parcels, and is bordered
by the San Francisco Bay. The area primarily contains employment-
generating land uses and includes office, life science and other R&D
uses, logistics, food processing, manufacturing, and other industrial
uses. Most life science uses are located north of East Grand Avenue,
with the Genentech campus being the largest corporate campus
in East of 101. At the present, South San Francisco is home to
over 200 biotech companies, and there is room for continued
expansion of these uses, particularly on infill sites and in planned
campus environments, such as Oyster Point. South of East Grand
Avenue, there are warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, and
other industrial land uses that provide a diversity of employment
opportunities. As of 2021, no residential zoning exists in this
sub-area and there are no housing units or residents, though
as part of the General Plan update, there is opportunity to
introduce residential uses to East of 101 to create more complete
neighborhoods with options for living, working, and recreation.
Vision Statement
East of 101 is a well-connected innovation district with a
diverse mix of uses that serves as a model of sustainability,
resilience, multimodal mobility, and economic opportunity.
Open Space
Parks & Recreation
Public
General Plan
Land Use Designations
Business Technology Park High
East of 101 Mixed Use
Business and Professional Office
Business Technology Park
Community Commercial
Mixed Industrial
Mixed Industrial High
Oyster Point Coastal Commercial
East of 101 Transit Core
Streams
The General Plan advances the community vision of maintaining
districts for R&D and industrial growth, while creating new
neighborhoods that allow residential and supportive amenities and
services. This vision allows for the growth and continued success of the
life sciences as an economic engine for the city. Life science companies
may intensify development north of East Grand Avenue, closer to key
transportation corridors, in exchange for community benefits and
district improvements. By allowing the life sciences area to grow through
intensification rather than expanding its geographic area, the General
Plan enables transportation, trade, and industrial uses to retain land area
and continue to thrive in East of 101. These businesses, primarily to the
south of East Grand Avenue, are supported by the City in efforts to adjust
to emerging economic conditions and build long-term resilience to sea
level rise and flooding.
The General Plan creates new mixed use neighborhoods along South
Airport Boulevard. Providing opportunities for living in East of 101
supports a long-term vision for an innovation district, places more
housing near jobs and high-quality transit, and creates opportunity for
a range of new housing for different income levels. Along South Airport
Boulevard, residents will benefit from streetscape improvements and
urban design that create a high-quality public realm along this currently
commercial and industrial corridor. The General Plan supports the well-
being of new East of 101 residents by providing convenient access to new
parks and gathering spaces, neighborhood-serving retail and amenities,
and public services.
Caption Caption
Gateway Childcare Center Oyster Point Marina
New DevelopmentCurrent General Plan Land Use Designations - East of 101 SubArea
SHAPE SSF: 2040 GENERAL PLAN
SUB-AREAS 6
98 99
EAST OF 101
The East of 101 sub-area covers all parts of the city that lie to the
east of Highway 101. By far the largest sub-area geographically, it
covers over 1,600 acres, is defined by large parcels, and is bordered
by the San Francisco Bay. The area primarily contains employment-
generating land uses and includes office, life science and other R&D
uses, logistics, food processing, manufacturing, and other industrial
uses. Most life science uses are located north of East Grand Avenue,
with the Genentech campus being the largest corporate campus
in East of 101. At the present, South San Francisco is home to
over 200 biotech companies, and there is room for continued
expansion of these uses, particularly on infill sites and in planned
campus environments, such as Oyster Point. South of East Grand
Avenue, there are warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, and
other industrial land uses that provide a diversity of employment
opportunities. As of 2021, no residential zoning exists in this
sub-area and there are no housing units or residents, though
as part of the General Plan update, there is opportunity to
introduce residential uses to East of 101 to create more complete
neighborhoods with options for living, working, and recreation.
Vision Statement
East of 101 is a well-connected innovation district with a
diverse mix of uses that serves as a model of sustainability,
resilience, multimodal mobility, and economic opportunity.
Open Space
Parks & Recreation
Public
General Plan
Land Use Designations
Business Technology Park High
East of 101 Mixed Use
Business and Professional Office
Business Technology Park
Community Commercial
Mixed Industrial
Mixed Industrial High
Oyster Point Coastal Commercial
East of 101 Transit Core
Streams
The General Plan advances the community vision of maintaining
districts for R&D and industrial growth, while creating new
neighborhoods that allow residential and supportive amenities and
services. This vision allows for the growth and continued success of the
life sciences as an economic engine for the city. Life science companies
may intensify development north of East Grand Avenue, closer to key
transportation corridors, in exchange for community benefits and
district improvements. By allowing the life sciences area to grow through
intensification rather than expanding its geographic area, the General
Plan enables transportation, trade, and industrial uses to retain land area
and continue to thrive in East of 101. These businesses, primarily to the
south of East Grand Avenue, are supported by the City in efforts to adjust
to emerging economic conditions and build long-term resilience to sea
level rise and flooding.
The General Plan creates new mixed use neighborhoods along South
Airport Boulevard. Providing opportunities for living in East of 101
supports a long-term vision for an innovation district, places more
housing near jobs and high-quality transit, and creates opportunity for
a range of new housing for different income levels. Along South Airport
Boulevard, residents will benefit from streetscape improvements and
urban design that create a high-quality public realm along this currently
commercial and industrial corridor. The General Plan supports the well-
being of new East of 101 residents by providing convenient access to new
parks and gathering spaces, neighborhood-serving retail and amenities,
and public services.
Caption Caption
Gateway Childcare Center Oyster Point Marina
New DevelopmentProposed General Plan Land Use Amendment - East of 101 SubArea
Figure 6
Proposed Re-zoning to Genentech Master Plan District
Source: SSF Zoning Map, accessed at: zoning.ssf.net
Existing Zoning
Proposed Zoning
Legend:
Genentech Master
Plan (GMPD)
Business Tech. Park -
Medium (BTP-M)
Mixed Indust. - High
(MI-H)
Public/Quasi Public
(QPP)
Parks & Recreation
(PR)
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 25
Genentech Master Plan Amendments
Genentech Campus Boundaries
At the time of preparation of the Genentech Master Plan in 2020, the three new properties now owned
or controlled by Genentech were considered out-parcels, and not included in the Master Plan. A
modification of the Genentech Master Plan is required to incorporate these three properties (which
total approximately 9.7 acres of land) into the Genentech Master Plan (see Figure 7: Modified Campus
Boundary and Neighborhood Campuses).
Chapter 3: Urban Design
Page 45, Increasing Pedestrian Connectivity and Making Places for People - update the third bullet to
read:
• A shared-street concept may be considered, whereby DNA Way is scheduled for partial closure
to general vehicle traffic during specified times of the day, and opened as a pedestrian-only
environment with accommodations for emergency vehicles and shuttle and bus access. A
pedestrian oriented Campus may be achieved by vacating DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard
and Cabot Road. With review and approval by the City, these roads may remain open, partially
open, or closed, as long as proper emergency vehicle, and shuttle and bus access is provided.
Page 53, Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities - amend to read:
• Additionally, Genentech intends to engage the City in a conversation about the potential for a
daily closure of seek vacation and privatization of portions of DNA Way, Point San Bruno
Boulevard and Cabot Road where it passes through the central portion of the Upper Campus.
These road segments currently only serve the Genentech Campus and Wind Harp. The purpose
of this road closure these street vacations would be to further align the design of the central
Campus with the urban design objectives listed in Section 3.2 and to work with the City to make
this road segment these roadway segments into a more pedestrian-oriented place where people
are prioritized over vehicles. The public road closure might only occur between the morning and
afternoon peak traffic hours, so that regular vehicle traffic would continue during non-peak
hours (including at night)
Page 63 - Placemaking at Each Neighborhood Campus at Upper Campus Core - replace the 4th bullet
point as follows:
• Consider partial closure of DNA Way within the Campus core area to vehicle traffic during
scheduled times of the workday, better establishing this area as a pedestrian priority zone.
Consider privatization of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road within the
Campus Core area to support and prioritize a pedestrian oriented campus.
Chapter 4: Transportation, Circulation and Parking
Page 89, Local Street System - amend the 3rd bullet as follows:
• DNA Way is a two-way road connecting East Grand Avenue with Forbes Boulevard passing
through the center of the Genentech Campus. A City approved plan will need to be
implemented if the street is partially closed to through traffic.
Figure 7
Modified Campus Boundary and Neighborhood Campuses
2020 GENENTECH CAMPUS MASTER PLAN 16
CHAPTER 2: LAND USE
Figure 2-1: Campus Boundary and Neighborhood Campuses
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 27
Page 95, Potential DNA Way Closure – amend as follows:
• DNA Way is the main public street through the Campus and provides public circulation from East
Grand Avenue to Forbes Boulevard. Genentech-related vehicles are the primary users of this
road. As part of the Urban Design strategy of this Master Plan Update, Genentech is exploring
the possibility of a daily closure of DNA Way to public through traffic east of Wind Harp, where it
passes through the central portion of the Upper Campus. The purpose of this partial road
closure would be to make this road segment, which bisects the center of the Campus, into a
more pedestrian-oriented place where people are prioritized over vehicles.
The public road closure might only occur between the morning and afternoon peak traffic hours
(e.g., between 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM) so that public circulation would continue during non-
closure hours (including at night). During the non-closure hours, DNA Way would be fully open
to public traffic, and would provide non-peak commuters with convenient access to all on-
Campus parking facilities. The road closure would only affect private vehicles. All public transit
and Genentech transit services, including the gRide shuttle system and Genentech service
vehicles, would continue to use DNA Way at all times in dedicated and clearly identified lanes.
With implementation of a broader parking garage strategy, commuters and visitors to the
Campus would be able to access new parking facilities around the outer edges of the Campus,
and would not need to drive through the Upper Campus at all. Allerton, Forbes and East Grand
Avenue would be unaffected.
Within the Upper Campus (i.e., between the entrance to Building 35 and the intersection at
Point San Bruno Boulevard near the B30 Quad buildings), the former DNA Way right-of-way
would be designed to look and feel “different” than a traditional public street. This design
treatment may include special pavers rather than asphalt, dedicated bike lanes, rolled curbs,
and adjacent pedestrian amenities. These design strategies are intended to allow this former
street segment to function as a designated pedestrian environment. , shared with transit and
emergency vehicle use.
Page 100 – amend the 2nd bullet as follows:
Considering a shared-street concept whereby portions of the Campus are DNA Way is scheduled
for closure to general traffic, and opened as pedestrian environments with accommodations for
shuttles, service vehicles, and buses only. For people to be comfortable and safe, designs for
these spaces will prioritize pedestrians (e.g., special paving to demarcate a shared
pedestrian/auto-zone, and landscaped bulb-outs within the street at pedestrian pathway
intersections)
Other figures and maps throughout the Genentech Master Plan will need to be updated to include the
additional properties, including the privatized streets, including the following.
• Figure 1-2 - General Plan Land Use Diagram
• Figure 1-3: SSF Zoning Designation
• Table 2-1: Genentech Campus and Neighborhood Campuses (acres)
• Figure 2-1: Campus Boundary and Neighborhood Campuses
• Figure 2-2: Zoning Map
• Figure 2-4: Master Plan Update Opportunity Sites
• Figure 3-1 Illustrative Example of Campus-wide Placemaking Strategies
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 28
• Figure 4-2: Public Transit Services
• Figure 4-4: Local Bicycle and Trail Facilities
Pubic Street Vacation
The City of South San Francisco’s Engineering Division has oversight of permits that affect the City's
right-of-way or infrastructure, including the granting of, or vacation of city easements and rights-of-way.
The Engineering Division staff will review and confirm that all requirements for a street vacation/partial
street vacation are met. These requirements include:
• An Easement Vacation Request form filled out and signed
• Title reports of all parcels affected
• Plat and legal descriptions with metes and bounds of the easements to be vacated, prepared by
a California Registered Civil Engineer or a licensed Land Surveyor in the State of California
• Fees and deposits for staff time and land surveyor review costs
• The Office of the City Manager may be involved to negotiate a purchase-sales agreement of the
vacated roadways
When the Engineering staff/City Manager confirms that all requirements for street vacation are met, the
Planning Commission will need to determine whether the proposed street right-of-way vacation is
consistent with the City’s General Plan, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65402. This
determination would be noticed as a public hearing.
If the Planning Commission determines that the proposed street vacation is consistent with the City’s
General Plan, the City Council would then conduct a public hearing to consider making findings that the
streets are unnecessary for present or future public use, and to consider adoption of a resolution for
street vacation and a purchase/sale agreement.
Genentech or their title company would then record the City’s Vacation Resolution at the San Mateo
County Recorder’s Office.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 29
Purpose of this Addendum and CEQA Requirements
The purposes of this CEQA Addendum are to;
• update the Project Description provided in the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and the Genentech
Campus Master Plan EIR (together the Prior EIRs) to include the addition of six properties to the
Genentech Master Plan, and the potential privatization and partial closure of DNA Way, and
closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard and a short segment of Cabot Road, and
• to address the potential environmental effects of those activities as described in the Project
Description, in light of the analysis presented in these Prior EIRs
This document has been prepared in accordance with CEQA Guidelines sections 15162 and 15164. CEQA
Guidelines section 15162(a)] provides that, for a project covered by a previously certified EIR,
preparation of a Subsequent EIR rather than an Addendum is required if one or more of the following
conditions occur:
1. Substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions of the previous
EIR or negative declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a
substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects;
2. Substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken
which will require major revisions of the previous EIR or negative declaration due to the involvement
of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of the previously
identified significant effects; or
3. New information of substantial importance, which was not known and could not have been known
with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time of the previous EIR was certified as complete or
the negative declaration was adopted, shows any of the following:
a) The project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the previous EIR or
negative declaration;
b) Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the
previous EIR or negative declaration;
c) Mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible would in fact be
feasible and would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the project, but the
project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measure or alternative; or
d) Mitigation measures or alternatives which are considerably different from those analyzed in
the previous EIR or negative declaration would substantially reduce one or more significant
effects on the environment, but the project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measures
or alternative.
Section 15164(b) of the CEQA Guidelines states:
“An addendum to an adopted negative declaration or EIR may be prepared if only minor technical
changes or additions are necessary or none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for
the preparation of a subsequent EIR or negative declaration have occurred”.
Based on the analysis presented herein, the City of South San Francisco has determined that an
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and the Genentech Master Plan EIR is the appropriate
CEQA document to address the proposed Project. None of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 30
Section 15162 calling for the preparation of a Subsequent EIR would occur with implementation of the
Project. This environmental analysis relies on the analyses completed in these Prior EIRs, directly
referencing those Prior EIRs as appropriate.
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15164(c), this Addendum is not required to be circulated for public
review. A Notice of Determination will be filed with the State Clearinghouse at the State of California
Office of Planning and Research upon the City’s approval of the Project.
Application of Previous Environmental Review
Prior CEQA Findings – SSF General Plan EIR
The SSF 2040 General Plan that was approved by the City in 2022 anticipates approximately 14,312 net
new housing units and approximately 42,297 net new employment opportunities in the City by year
2040. Amendments to the City Zoning Code were made concurrent with the General Plan to incorporate
a number of major environmental policies, and a Climate Action Plan identifies strategies and measures
to reduce GHG emissions generated by existing and future uses in the City.
The General Plan EIR concluded that the SSF 2040 General Plan was largely self-mitigating in that the
policies, actions and strategies in the General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate
Action Plan recognize the importance of the natural environment, and are designed to protect the
environment and environmental resources. In certain instances, mitigation measures are included in the
GP EIR to reinforce and enhance the environmental protections identified in the General Plan’s policies,
actions, and strategies. However, even with implementation of all available mitigation, the GP EIR
concluded that the SSF 2040 General Plan Update would result in significant unavoidable impacts
related to the following:
• project-level and cumulative vehicle miles traveled
• project-level and cumulative roadway safety
• project-level conflicts with 2017 Bay Area Clean Air Plan,
• and cumulative criteria air pollutants
The General Plan EIR is a programmatic document, and until the City receives development applications
for subsequent projects pursuant to the General Plan, the potential impacts of such projects on the
environment are too speculative to have been determined. Accordingly, the SSF General Plan EIR
acknowledges that future construction and development plans will be subject to subsequent, project-
level CEQA analysis. The City does expect that the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR will serve as a source of
information in the review of subsequent planning and development proposals, and will be utilized in
conjunction the streamlining provisions provided by CEQA to provide a first-tier of environmental review
for later, project-specific and/or site-specific CEQA documents.
Prior CEQA Findings - Genentech Master Plan EIR
The Genentech Master Plan was approved by the City of South San Francisco in 2020, and the
environmental impacts attributable to future growth and development within the Genentech Campus
pursuant to the Master Plan have already been evaluated pursuant to CEQA. The Genentech Master
Plan EIR is intended to simplify the task of preparing subsequent project-level environmental documents
for future projects proposed pursuant to the Master Plan Update. Where feasible and where an
adequate level of detail is available, the Master Plan EIR also provides project-level analysis intended to
minimize the need for subsequent CEQA review of individual development projects. The Master Plan EIR
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 31
analyzes one example of a detailed development program for the Genentech Campus that provides
general density and intensity of use, building height and bulk, and location of anticipated future
development, public infrastructure and transportation improvements. The Master Plan EIR is intended
to be used under the streamlining and tiering provisions of CEQA to the maximum feasible extent, such
that future environmental review of specific development projects within the Campus that are carried
out in furtherance of the Master Plan Update are expeditiously undertaken, without the need for
repetition and redundancy.
When adopting the Genentech Master Plan, the City determined that implementation of the Master
Plan would result in significant and unavoidable environmental effects related to the following:
• criteria air pollutant emissions
• construction-period noise, and
• traffic impacts at local intersections, freeway ramps and freeway segments
All other potentially significant environmental effects related to Implementation of the Master Plan
were found to be reduced to less than significant levels through implementation of either existing
regulatory requirements or additional mitigation measures as recommended in that prior EIR.
The Genentech Master Plan and its EIR considered and evaluated the possibility of closing DNA Way
through the Upper Campus to create a more pedestrian-oriented place in the center of the Campus
where people are prioritized over vehicles.
The Genentech Master Plan also sets out the requirements adding properties to the Genentech Master
Plan zoning district, which include:
• The acreage of any new property added to the Campus shall be aggregated with the
approximately 207 acres of existing Campus properties, and shall contribute to the overall
Campus FAR of 1.0.
• The AM peak hour vehicle trips attributed to any existing use of property added to the
Genentech Campus shall be added to the Trip Cap, but any future redevelopment that generates
an increase in vehicle trips shall be subject to the Trip Cap total of this Master Plan Update (i.e.,
no net increase in AM peak hour vehicle trips).
• New properties added to the Genentech Campus shall be subject to the TDM goals and
requirements.
• Parking requirements that apply to any new properties added to the Genentech Campus shall
conform to the parking rates of the Master Plan, based on the TDM rates effective at the time
the property is added. Parking requirements attributable to new Campus properties may be met
at off-site parking facilities within the Genentech Campus.
• All other provisions of the Genentech Master Plan zoning district shall apply to any new
property added to the Campus.
In this context, the changes to be implemented pursuant to the proposed Project (i.e., adding six new
properties to the Master Plan and privatizing internal Campus roadways) have already been anticipated
and addressed in the broader scope and evaluation conducted in the prior Genentech Master Plan EIR.
No Need for Further Study
The proposed Project does not increase the potential buildout scenario as provided in the SSF 2040
General Plan or the Genentech Master Plan. Rather, the Project adds new land area to the Genentech
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 32
Master Plan area, while maintaining the 9 million square-foot buildout that was approved by the City in
the 2020 Campus Master Plan. The proposed Project is consistent with the development program
established in the 2020 Genentech Master Plan.
As demonstrated in this document, the changes that would result from the City’s approval of the
proposed Project (including partial closure of DNA Way, and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard and
Cabot Road within the Genentech Campus) would not add any new potentially significant environmental
impacts not already identified in the Prior EIRs, nor would it increase the severity of significant impacts
previously identified in the Prior EIRs.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 33
Comparative Environmental Analysis
No New or More Severe Effects Related to Roadway Acquisitions and Potential Closures
Near-Term Effects
Genentech’s current proposal is to acquire the rights-of-way underlying three public streets (DNA Way,
Point San Bruno Boulevard and a short segment of Cabot Road) that are within the boundaries of the
Campus Master Plan, and requests that the City vacate these streets as public roadways. Genentech
does not have any pending project applications or pre-applications for new Campus development
involving any of these rights-of-way, and these streets will remain open to the public in the near term,
but as private streets. Genentech is not currently proposing removal of these streets, or closure of these
streets for public travel, but approval of the Project would give Genentech the rights to close these
streets to public through travel at Genentech’s discretion as long as public access to the Wind Harp is
maintained and Genentech complies with all mitigations pertaining to emergency vehicle access.
Underground public infrastructure that exists within public utility easements, many of which lie beneath
or adjacent to these proposed street acquisitions, will be unaffected in the short-term. Genentech is not
currently proposing any alteration or realignment of these public utility easements.
In the near term, there would be no street removal, reconstruction or redevelopment of these roadway
rights-of-way, so no new or more severe construction-related impacts or operational impacts would
occur. Accordingly, the Project’s proposed acquisition of the rights-of-way underlying DNA Way, Point
San Bruno Boulevard and a short segment of Cabot Road, and even partial closure of DNA Way and full
closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road to public through traffic, will not result in any new
or more severe environmental impacts other than those impacts already disclosed in the Prior EIRs.
Reasonably Foreseeable Future Effects
In the longer-term, it is reasonably foreseeable that if the rights-of-way underlying these three public
streets were to be acquired by Genentech, Genentech may seek to close/partially close these streets (as
envisioned in the Genentech Campus Master Plan) to remove public through traffic on DNA Way from
the center of the Campus and to create a more pedestrian-oriented place with courtyards, plazas and
terraces, and improved pedestrian connections between buildings. Accordingly, an analysis of the
potential traffic implications associated with a possible partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point
San Bruno Boulevard has been conducted (Fehr & Peers, February 2024 – see Appendix A).
This analysis concludes that closure/partial closure of these roadways to through traffic would be
expected to result in negligible effects on traffic conditions and area-wide circulation in the short-term,
and under cumulative conditions. Both DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard serve a relatively low
volume of through traffic, most of which is Genentech-based travel. Partial closure of DNA Way and
closure of Point San Bruno would redistribute these Genentech-based trips away from the center of the
Campus, and instead to parking areas at the periphery of Campus. These peripheral parking areas are
served by Forbes Boulevard, Allerton Avenue and East Grand Avenue. Freight, delivery and emergency
vehicle access is expected to be maintained throughout the Campus (even with these roadway
closures/partial closures) via a network of new or modified, and Fire Code-complaint service routes to
be installed at the time of any new development or redevelopment that would result in physical
removal of these privatized roads.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 34
Some non-Genentech pass-through vehicle trips would be diverted to adjacent streets such as Forbes
Boulevard, East Grand Avenue and Allerton Avenue. This redistribution of pass-through traffic is of such
low volume as to have a negligible effect on traffic on those alternative routes.
Closure of the short segment of Cabot Road between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way to public through
traffic will have little effect on public pass-through traffic conditions in the near or long-term. This
roadway segment exclusively serves Genentech land uses (childcare, warehouse and office space), and
the separate public traffic connection between Allerton Avenue and DNA Way via East Grand Avenue
(less than 1,000 feet to the south) will remain unaffected and available for public use.
The following provides a comparative analysis of potential environmental impacts that could be
reasonably expected to occur with partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno and the
short segment of Cabot Road, as compared to the impact analysis presented in the Prior EIRs.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
Prior VMT Analysis (per Genentech Master Plan FEIR)
The Genentech Master Plan EIR determined that buildout of the Master Plan would generate
approximately 32,200 daily trips, not accounting for any application of the TDM measures. The Master
Plan commits to a sliding scale of reductions in AM peak hour drive alone trips to the Campus as
necessary to maintain the Master Plan’s Trip Cap. At buildout of 9 million square feet of development,
the necessary TDM measures will result in approximately 22,200 total daily trips. Assuming an additional
5% reduction for internalized trips (on-Campus amenities, on-Campus shuttles, and bicycle and
pedestrian amenities), the Master Plan was found to result in approximately 21,000 daily trips.
Multiplying these 21,000 daily trips by an average trip length of 9.3 miles per trip (the weighted average
of home-based work trips and non-home-based trips for TAZ #212) for year 2040, the Master Plan was
found to generate approximately 194,900 new daily vehicle miles travelled. Dividing these daily vehicle
miles travelled by 12,500 new employees (per the Master Plan’s estimate) yields an average of 15.6 VMT
per employee in year 2040. This VMT rate per employee is lower than the VMT target reduction
threshold of 15% below the regional average worker-based VMT for year 2040. Accordingly, the
Genentech Master Plan EIR concluded that the Master Plan would not result in a significant increase in
VMT.
VMT Implications of Roadway Closures
It is reasonably foreseeable that Genentech may seek to partially close DNA Way, and to close Point San
Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road to through traffic. As indicated below, such roadway
closures would have little to no measurable effect on VMT.
The Master Plan’s commitment to TDM and the Trip Cap would remain, resulting in the same
approximately 22,200 total new daily trips to the Campus at buildout. On-Campus amenities, on-Campus
shuttles, and bicycle and pedestrian amenities would still provide for at least a 5% reduction for
internalized trips, resulting in the same approximately 21,000 new daily trips.
The estimated average trip length of 9.3 miles per trip (weighted average of home-based work trips and
non-home-based trips for TAZ #212) would remain approximately the same. Closure of DNA Way, Point
San Bruno and potentially Cabot Road would redistribute Genentech-based trips away from the center
of the Campus and instead to parking areas at the periphery of Campus served by Forbes Boulevard,
Allerton Avenue and East Grand Avenue. These parking areas are no further away from their trip origin
locations than the existing parking areas now accessed by DNA Way. Accordingly, even with partial
closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road, buildout of the Master
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 35
Plan would still result in an average of 15.6 VMT per employee in year 2040, which is lower than the
VMT target reduction thresholds of 15% below the regional average worker-based VMT for year 2040.
• Based on these factors, a reasonably foreseeable partial closure of DNA Way, and closure of
Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road would not result in a new or
more significant environmental effect pertaining to VMT than was disclosed in the Prior EIR.
Air Quality
Prior Analysis of Mobile Source Criteria Air Pollutants
The Genentech Master Plan EIR determined that buildout of the Master Plan would generate new
vehicle trips from new employees, and would increase vehicle trips by vendors and visitors. The number
of estimated new daily vehicle trips generated by the Project was obtained from the same traffic impact
analysis used in the Transportation chapter of that EIR, including the number of new trips, the
percentage of trips for each mode of transportation, and average trip length. Emissions from each of
these trip types were obtained using EMFAC2014, and based on emission rates per trip type as derived
from the vehicle fleet mix in San Mateo County. Mobile source emissions of criteria pollutants attributed
to buildout of the Master Plan was found to result in 7.9 tons/year of reactive organic gas (ROG), 12
tons/year of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 15 tons per year of particulate matter as PM10, and 3.5 tons per year
of particulate matter as PM2.5. With the exception of NOx, none of the mobile source emissions
attributed to buildout of the Master Plan was found to exceed significance thresholds. However, when
combined with all other emission sources (new laboratory emissions, miscellaneous natural gas
combustion, architectural coatings, consumer products and landscaping) all of these emission types
(except PM2.5) were found to exceed significance thresholds.
Implications of Roadway Closures on Mobile Source Criteria Air Pollutants
As indicated above, reasonably foreseeable partial roadway closures of DNA Way, and closure of Point
San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road would have little to no measurable effect on VMT.
Mobile sources of criteria air pollutant emissions are primarily a function of the same VMT by trip types,
multiplied by vehicle emission rates per trip type. The potential roadway closures/partial closures of
DNA Way, Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road would have similar (i.e., little to no
measurable) change in projected emissions of mobile sources of criteria pollutants.
• Based on this comparative analysis, the Project’s potential partial closure of DNA Way, and
closure of Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road would not result in a new or
more significant environmental effect pertaining to criteria air pollutant emissions than was
disclosed in the Prior EIRs.
GHG Emissions
Prior Analysis of Mobile Sources of GHG
Pursuant to BAAQMD Guidelines and SSF CEQA thresholds, operational GHG emissions that comply with
a Qualified GHG Reduction Strategy are deemed less than significant under CEQA. The South San
Francisco Climate Action Plan that was effective in 2020 (when the prior Master Plan EIR was certified)
followed both State and BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines by incorporating standard elements of a Qualified
GHG Reduction Strategy, and that SSF CAP met the requirements and criteria for a Qualified GHG
Reduction Strategy. Because the SSF CAP satisfied the requirements of a Qualified GHG Reduction
Strategy, the CAP allowed the City to determine that future development projects that fully comply with
the CAP would have a less than significant impact on GHG emissions.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 36
The prior CAP’s inventory of GHG emissions included Genentech’s GHG emissions from indirect
operational sources, including mobile sources. These categories of emissions were subject to reduction
measures as specified in the CAP, primarily through required implementation of TDM measures. The
Genentech Master Plan, inclusive of its TDM plan and Trip Cap, was found to be in full compliance with
the GHG emission reduction strategies of the SSF CAP, and the Genentech Master Plan was found to
have a less than significant impact on GHG emissions from mobile sources.
Implications of Roadway Closures on Mobile Sources of GHG
Based on Genentech’s most recent trip count data (November 2023), the Campus is generating
approximately 3,660 AM peak-hour drive-alone trips.6 This is well below the trip cap of 5,216 AM peak-
hour drive-alone trips, and the Campus is currently compliant with this requirement. Also according to
the cordon counts conducted at the Campus in November 2023, Genentech’s current TDM performance
shows a drive-alone mode share of 40%, resulting in an effective nearly 60% TDM mode share, inclusive
of remote work (33%) and alternative modes such as transit, carpool, walk or bike (26%).7 With a current
alternative mode split of nearly 60%, the Genentech Campus is far exceeding its currently effective TDM
commitment.
It may be reasonably foreseeable that Genentech may seek to partially close DNA Way, and to close
Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road to through traffic. However, such a potential
roadway closure/partial closure would not change Genentech’s requirements or commitments to
implementation of TDM measures or the Master Plan’s trip limits of the Trip Cap. These currently
effective TDM plans and the Trip Cap are in full compliance with the GHG emission reduction strategies
of South San Francisco’s current Climate Action Plan as approved by the City in 2022, concurrent with
the SSF 2040 GP Update. These potential roadway closures/partial closures would have no effect on
Genentech’s commitment to implement its TDM plans and Trip Cap, and would have no measurable
effect on Genentech’s ability to continue to meet these commitments.
• Based on this comparative analysis, the Project’s potential partial closure of DNA Way and
closure of Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road would not result in a new or
more significant environmental effect pertaining to mobile source GHG emissions.
Land Use / Public Access to Bay Trail
Genentech holds two BCDC permits that require Genentech to provide, improve and use approximately
2.5 acres for public access to and along the Bay shoreline along the Lower Campus, and to make parking
available to the general public on weekends and after normal business hours; and to construct, use and
maintain a public access trail along approximately 2,335 feet of shoreline at the Mid and South Campus
(approximately 3.8 acres), also including a bicycle and pedestrian ramp, landscaping, site furnishings and
a storm drain and drop inlets.
If Genentech does seek to partially close DNA Way and to close Point San Bruno and the short segment
of Cabot Road to through traffic, such roadway closures/partial closures would remain consistent with
these existing BCDC permits. Access to the Bay Trail and surrounding land uses would be unaffected.
Vehicle access to the Bay Trail parking area Lower Campus would be maintained via Forbes Boulevard,
and publicly accessible Bay Trail parking at the end of East Grand Avenue in the South Campus would be
unaffected. Bicycle access would also be maintained via Forbes Boulevard and the parallel trail through
the Campus.
6 Nelson Nygaard, Genentech South San Francisco Campus Mode Share and Parking Report, Fall of 2023
7 Nelson Nygaard, Genentech South San Francisco Campus Mode Share and Parking Report, Fall of 2023, Figure 4, page 8
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 37
• The Project’s potential partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno and the short
segment of Cabot Road would not result in a new or more significant environmental effect
pertaining to public access to the Bay Tail, and would not conflict with existing BCDC permits
pertaining to the provisions of that access to the Bay Trail.
Hazards/Emergency Response
Genentech has no current plans to close any roadways to public access or to emergency access.
However, it is reasonably foreseeable that Genentech may seek to partially close DNA Way and to close
Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot Road to through traffic at some point in the future. The
closure of these roadways to public through traffic would not affect use of these roadways for
emergency access by the South San Francisco Police or Fire Department, as they would remain as
emergency roadways.
To the extent that Genentech may seek to remove these roadways or portions of these roadways to
accommodate future development or redevelopment within the Campus, such roadway removals could
potentially affect existing emergency response or evacuation plans. Per the Genentech Master Plan EIR’s
Mitigation Measure 7B – Lane Closure Request, adequate emergency vehicles access must be ensured
if/when roadway closures may be proposed. This mitigation measure requires Genentech to consult
with the South San Francisco Police and Fire Department to identify appropriate alternative travel
routes in the event of a proposed road closure (in this instance, “road closure” is interpreted as a
physical change or removal of the road that would preclude its use as an emergency lane, rather than
simply privatization of the road).
• Implementation of Genentech Master Plan EIR Mitigation Measure 7-B will ensure that impacts
related to emergency response remain less than significant, and the Project would not result in
any new or more severe impacts that were previously disclosed in the Prior EIRs.
Hydrology
The City’s stormdrain system within the Project Area consists of a variety of disconnected drainage
systems including surface street drainage and underground storm drains (including drainages and
stormdrain inlets within the rights-of-way of DNA Way, Point San Bruno and the short segment of Cabot
Road). These stormdrain facilities collect runoff from the Project Area, and outfall directly into the San
Francisco Bay. The existing drainage system was generally designed and constructed to accommodate
large-scale industrial development, with large capacity stormdrain pipes.
Even if Genentech does seek to partially close DNA Way and close Point San Bruno and the short
segment of Cabot Road to through traffic, the underground public infrastructure that exists within public
utility easements (including existing stormdrain lines), would remain. Genentech is not currently
proposing, and it is not necessarily foreseeable that roadway closure/partial closure to through traffic
would necessitate any alteration or realignment of the underlying public utility easements and drainage
infrastructure. Even under this reasonably foreseeable future scenario, the Project would not require or
result in the relocation or reconstruction of stormdrain infrastructure. If Genentech were to make future
development plans that would involve these rights-of-ways, the potential need for relocating
underground storm drains would be evaluated as part of such a project, but no such project is currently
proposed.
• The Project will not require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded storm
water drainage facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause new or more
significant environmental effects than those disclosed in the Prior EIRs.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 38
At such time that Genentech may propose new development or redevelopment projects that involve
these former public rights-of-way, those later projects will need to coordinate with the City and other
utility providers, and Genentech will be responsible for maintaining continuity of the stormdrain system.
No such development or redevelopment projects are currently proposed.
Noise
The Genentech Master Plan EIR determined that buildout of the Master Plan would increase traffic
volumes that would increase local ambient traffic noise levels by greater than 3 dBA CNEL along several
roadway segments, including Oyster Point Boulevard, Gull Drive and East Grand Avenue. However, the
Master Plan’s increased traffic noise was not found to adversely affect any existing noise-sensitive
receptors. The only noise-sensitive receptors in the vicinity include three daycare facilities on Allerton
Avenue near Cabot Road (two of which are Genentech facilities). The Genentech Master Plan EIR
determined that these existing noise-sensitive daycare facilities are currently exposed to peak hour
traffic noise exceeding 60 dBA, but that buildout of the Genentech Campus (to 9 million square feet)
would only increase traffic noise by approximately 1.8 dBA, as compared to a threshold of a 3 dBA
increase.
If Genentech should seek to partially close DNA Way and to close Point San Bruno and the short
segment of Cabot Road to through traffic, these roadway closures/partial closures would redistribute
Genentech-based trips away from the center of the Campus, with a share of those trips redistributed
onto Allerton Avenue. As a rule of thumb, it takes a doubling of vehicle trips to cause a significant (i.e.,
more than 3 dBA) increase in traffic noise. The marginal increase of trips redistributed onto Allerton
Avenue as a result of a potential partial closure of DNA Way would not double existing or projected
traffic volumes on Allerton, and would not cause a significant noise impact to these noise-sensitive
daycare facilities. The marginal increase of trips redistributed onto Allerton Avenue would also be
unlikely to contribute to a cumulative increase of 3 dBA CNEL or more over existing conditions.
Furthermore, these daycare facilities serve Genentech and nearby R&D land uses, with child drop-off
and pick-up occurring during the am and pm peak traffic periods. During the mid-day when the childcare
facilities are in operation, the volume of traffic and associated traffic noise along Allerton Avenue drops
substantially.
• The Project’s potential partial closure of DNA Way and closure of Point San Bruno and the short
segment of Cabot Road would not result in a new or more significant environmental effect
pertaining to traffic noise.
Utilities
The City’s wastewater collection system and CalWater’s water distribution system are located within
public utility easements, some of which are within the rights-of-way of DNA Way, Point San Bruno and
the short segment of Cabot Road.
Even if Genentech does seek to partially close DNA Way and close Point San Bruno and the short
segment of Cabot Road to through traffic, the underground water and wastewater infrastructure that
exists within these public utility easements would remain. Genentech is not currently proposing, and it is
not necessarily foreseeable, that roadway closure/partial closure to through traffic necessitates any
alteration or realignment of these underlying public utility easements. The Project does not require or
result in the need to relocate or reconstruct water or wastewater infrastructure. If Genentech were to
make future development plans that would involve these rights-of-ways, the potential need for
relocating underground utilities would be evaluated as part of such a project, but no such project is
currently proposed.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 39
• The Project will not require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded water
or wastewater infrastructure, the construction or relocation of which could cause new or more
significant environmental effects than those disclosed in the Prior EIRs.
At such time that Genentech may propose new development or redevelopment projects that involve
these former public rights-of-way, such later projects will need to coordinate with the City and other
utility providers, and Genentech will be responsible for maintaining continuity of the public utility
systems. No such development or redevelopment projects are currently proposed.
No New or More Severe Construction-Related Effects
The Project (privatization of three existing streets within the Genentech Campus - DNA Way, Point San
Bruno Boulevard and a segment of Cabot Road- and removal of the SSF 2040 General Plan’s Local Street
designation of these roadways) does not currently include any proposed demolition or physical removal
of these streets, or any other type of reconstruction of these streets.
The six properties proposed to be added to the Genentech Campus and re-zoned as Genentech Master
Plan District are existing public streets or urbanized sites containing existing industrial or light industrial
buildings. No redevelopment of these properties is currently proposed, and no construction activity on
these sites is currently proposed as part of the Project.
Accordingly, there would be no substantial change to the analyses and findings presented in the Prior
EIRs for the following impact issue areas related to new construction on the Genentech Campus.
Air Quality
Throughout buildout of the Master Plan, construction activities would result in emissions of criteria
pollutants for which the region is non-attainment, including releasing emissions of ozone precursors and
particulates. However, with implementation of Basic Best Management Practices (BMPs) for all
construction projects, construction emissions would be unlikely to exceed applicable thresholds. During
construction activities, new development pursuant to the Master Plan could also expose sensitive
receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations from construction-related emissions. Specifically, the
Project’s construction emissions could cause an excess cancer risk level exceeding 10 in one million at
the maximally exposed sensitive receptor.
No new construction is proposed pursuant to any portions of the Project, so no increase in criteria
pollutants or toxic air contaminants would occur. No redevelopment of the six properties to be added to
the Genentech Campus is currently proposed, and no construction activity on these sites is currently
proposed as part of the Project. Furthermore, Genentech does not seek to increase the amount of
potential development within the Campus beyond that already approved, even with the increased land
area attributed to the six new properties. Accordingly, the Project would not increase cumulative air
quality emissions beyond that already evaluated in the Genentech Master Plan EIR.
Biological Resources
The existing rights-of-way and the six properties proposed to be added to the Genentech Campus and
re-zoned as Genentech Master Plan District do not involve any sites identified as containing CDFW-
designated Natural Communities of Special Concern, CDFW-designated Sensitive Vegetation Alliances,
essential fish habitat, Waters of the U.S. or the State, or any drainage ditches. The potential for the
Project to result in any construction-related impacts to biological resources can be summarized as
follows:
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 40
• The Project would have no direct or indirect adverse effect on tidal aquatic habitat or aquatic
species dependent on that habitat;
• would have no direct or indirect adverse effect, directly or through habitat modification, on
California Ridgway’s rail, burrowing owl, Alameda song sparrow or San Francisco common
yellowthroat;
• would have no direct or indirect adverse effect on harbor seals or California sea lion, or their
tidal aquatic habitat within the Bay;
• would not interfere with migratory bird corridors or result in increased bird strikes with
buildings;
• would have no adverse effects on coastal salt marsh or other sensitive habitat, or cause the
spread of invasive and non-native plant species;
• would not have adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community;
• would not adversely affect wetlands, waters of the U.S. or waters of the state;
• would not interfere with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife
species, or with migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites
• would not conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, including
any tree preservation policy or ordinance; and
• would not conflict with the provisions of an adopted habitat conservation plan, natural
community conservation plan or other habitat conservation plan
Cultural Resources
There are no historic structures currently located within the Genentech Campus. None of the six
properties proposed to be added to the Genentech Campus and re-zoned as Genentech Master Plan
District contain known historic structures. The three street segments proposed for privatization are not
historic resources. There is a high potential for unrecorded or non-located Native American resources in
the Project Area, but no ground disturbance is proposed pursuant to any portions of the Project. The
potential for the Project to result in any construction-related impacts to cultural resources can be
summarized as follows:
• The Project would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of any known
historical resources;
• would not uncover or disturb a known paleontological resource;
• would not result in the discovery or disturbance of possible, currently unidentified historic-
period archaeological resources; and
• would not result in the discovery or disturbance of possible, currently unidentified or non-
located tribal cultural resources
Geology and Soils
The San Francisco Bay Area (including the Genentech Campus) is in one of the most seismically active
regions in the U.S. and could be subject to violent shaking under a scenario earthquake along the San
Andreas Fault, and very strong shaking under a scenario earthquake along the Peninsula Segments of
the San Andreas or on the San Gregorio Fault. However, no new construction is proposed pursuant to
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 41
any portions of the Project. Therefore, the potential for the geologic hazards to affect or to be affected
by the Project can be summarized as follows:
• The Project would not expose people and/or structures to potentially substantial adverse effects
resulting from strong seismic groundshaking and seismic-related ground failure;
• would not expose people and structures to potentially substantial adverse effects resulting from
landslides;
• would not involve a geologic unit or soil that is unstable or that could become unstable; and
• would not result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
The existing rights-of-way for DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and a segment of Cabot Road, and
the three properties proposed to be added to the Genentech Campus and re-zoned as Genentech
Master Plan District, do not involve any properties identified on the list of hazardous materials sites
compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5. Two listed sites in the general vicinity are
‘Closed’ sites requiring no further remedial action. These nearby sites include the Tornberg Enterprises
site at 1776 DNA Way (former LUST Cleanup Site with cleanup completed and the case closed as of
1992), and the 451 DNA Way site (former SWRCB Cleanup Program Site, with cleanup completed and
the case closed in 2003).8 Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground
disturbance, and involves no physical removal or physical changes to the roadways to be privatized, the
Project’s potential effects pertaining to hazards and hazardous materials can be summarized as follows:
• The Project would not create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through
reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous
materials into the environment;
• would not expose construction workers or Genentech employees to a significant hazard through
the renovation or demolition of buildings, or relocation of underground utilities that contain
hazardous materials; and
• would not create a significant hazard to the public or the environment due to the presence of
listed hazardous materials sites
Hydrology
Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground disturbance, the potential for the
Project to result in any construction-related hydrology impacts can be summarized as follows:
• The Project would not result in a violation of water quality standards or waste discharge
requirements or otherwise substantially degrade water quality during construction;
• would not substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through
the alteration of the course of a stream or river;
• would not add impervious surfaces in a manner that would result in substantial erosion or
siltation on- or off-site;
• would not substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner that would
result in flooding on- or off-site; and
8 SWRCB GeoTracker website, accessed at: https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/map/?global_id=T10000009086
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 42
• would not create or contribute runoff water that would exceed the capacity of existing or
planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted
runoff
Land Use
Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground disturbance, the potential for the
Project to result in construction-related land use impacts can be summarized as follows:
• The Project would not physically divide an established community;
• would not include any new buildings that would exceed elevations indicated as SFO “critical
aeronautical surfaces”; and
• would not conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community
conservation plan
Noise
Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground disturbance, the potential for the
Project to result in construction-related noise impacts can be summarized as follows:
• The Project would not include any construction activities that could generate a substantial
temporary increase in ambient noise levels in excess of noise standards established in SSFMC;
and
• Would not involve construction that might generate excessive ground-borne vibration that
could adversely affect vibration-sensitive equipment and persons
Population and Housing
Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground disturbance, the potential for the
Project to result in construction-related population impacts can be summarized as follows:
• Implementation of the Project would not displace any existing housing that would necessitate
construction of replacement housing elsewhere.
Utilities
Given that the Project involves no construction, excavation or ground disturbance, the potential for the
Project to result in construction-related impacts to utilities can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded
water, wastewater or storm drain conveyance facilities, the construction or relocation of which
could cause significant environmental effects
No New or More Severe Operational Impacts
The Project is limited to privatization and potential closure/partial closure to public through traffic of
three existing streets within the Genentech Campus (DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and a
segment of Cabot Road), removal of the SSF 2040 General Plan’s Local Street designation of these
roadways, and adding six new properties to the Genentech Campus. No new development or
redevelopment involving these properties is currently proposed, and no increase in building space or
employment would result as part of the Project.
The privatization of three existing streets and the addition of six properties to the Genentech Master
Plan would add approximately 18.3 acres to the Campus. With a development potential of a 1.0 FAR,
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 43
these additional properties could theoretically result in a corresponding increase of approximately
797,000 square feet of additional development within the Campus beyond that permitted pursuant to
the Genentech Master Plan. However, even with the addition of these properties to the Campus,
Genentech is not proposing to increase the potential buildout of the Campus beyond the 9,008,000
square feet as approved in the 2020 Master Plan and analyzed in the Prior EIRs.
Accordingly, the Project would not result in any substantial change to the analyses and findings
presented in the Prior EIRs for the following impact issue areas related to development and operations
within the Genentech Campus.
Air Quality
During operations, buildout of the Genentech Master Plan would result in a cumulatively considerable
net increase of criteria pollutants for which the region is non-attainment, including emissions that
exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone precursors. Specifically, average daily operational emissions
are projected to exceed 54 pounds per-day of reactive organic gas (ROG) and nitrogen oxides. During
operational activities, the Master Plan could expose sensitive receptors to substantial health risk from
operational-related emissions if operational sources of TAC emissions are not limited in location and
operational parameters.
No new development or redevelopment is currently proposed pursuant to the Project, and no new or
more severe air quality impacts would result from the Project.
GHG Emissions
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in operational-related GHG impacts can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to stationary source
GHG emissions and will have no influence on Genentech’s participation in the CARB’s Cap-and-
Trade program;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to stationary source emissions of
GHG not otherwise addressed under the Cap-and-Trade program; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to conflicts with an applicable plan,
policy, or regulation adopted for the purposes of reducing the emissions of GHGs, and
specifically the Genentech Campus Master Plans’ consistent with the City’s Climate Action
Program)
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in operational impacts related to hazards and hazardous materials can be
summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to the routine transport,
use, disposal or storage of hazardous materials;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts to the public or the environment through
reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous
materials into the environment;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to hazardous emissions or handling
of hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances or waste;
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 44
• would not result in any new or more severe safety hazard impacts related to proximity to the
Airport Land Use Plan boundaries of San Francisco International Airport; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to expose of people or structures to
wildland fires
Hydrology
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in operational impacts related to hydrology can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to a decrease in
groundwater supplies or interference with groundwater recharge; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to contributions of stormwater
runoff that could exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or
provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff
Noise
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in operational impacts related to noise can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to permanent ambient
noise levels in the vicinity; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to operational ground-borne
vibration;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to increased traffic volumes that
would increase local ambient traffic noise levels; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to the expose people working in the
Project Area to excessive airport-related noise
Land Use
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in land use impacts can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to displacement of
substantial numbers of people or employment
There are three properties not previously owned or leased by Genentech, but that are now owned or
controlled by Genentech. The prior owners of those recently acquired or controlled properties have
made independent business decisions to sell those properties to Genentech. These businesses have
made private decisions to relocate these business operations or to cease operations, and the Project
does not affect or displace the prior ownership or use of these properties.
Population and Employment
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in population or employment growth impacts can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to a substantial increase
in local South San Francisco employment, or inducing population growth beyond that
contemplated in the county or the region
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 45
Public Services
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in impacts to public services can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to any increased
demand for police services or increased demand for police facilities;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to any increased demand for fire
protection and emergency medical services or increased demand for fire protection and
emergency medical facilities; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to any increased demand for
recreational space or increased demand for recreational space
Utilities
Given that the Project involves no development or new building space within the Campus, the potential
for the Project to result in impacts to public utility services can be summarized as follows:
• the Project would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to increased water
demands during normal, dray and multiple dry years;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to increased demand for
wastewater treatment facilities;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to increased demands for solid
waste disposal, and would not impair the attainment of solid waste reduction goals;
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to incremental increased demands
for gas and electrical power; and
• would not result in any new or more severe impacts related to wasteful, inefficient or
unnecessary consumption of energy resources, or conflict with or obstruction of a state or local
plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 46
CEQA Conclusion
The proposed changes to the SSF 2040 GP and the Genentech Master Plan represented by Genentech’s
proposed acquisition and potential closure/partial closure of certain public rights-of-way within the
Genentech Campus (including DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and Cabot Road) and the addition
of 4 new properties to the Genentech Campus would not lead to new significant impacts or significant
increases in the severity of any significant impacts as previously identified in the prior SSF 2040 GP EIR or
the Genentech Campus Master Plan EIR (the Project). No additional mitigation measures are required
for the proposed Project. The potential impacts associated with implementation of the Project are
within the scope of impacts identified in these Prior EIRs, and those Prior EIRs adequately address all
impacts of the changes resulting from implementation of the Project.
Based on the above, an Addendum is the appropriate CEQA document for SSF’s approval of the
proposed Project, which includes:
• General Plan Amendment to remove DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short
segment of Cabot Road as public streets, with the commitment to retain public access to Wind
Harp
• Rezoning of DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the short segment of Cabot Road to the
Genentech Master Plan District
• Re-zoning of six newly acquired or Genentech-controlled properties to the Genentech Master
Plan District
• Transfer of ownership of the rights-of-way for DNA Way, Point San Bruno Boulevard and the
short segment of Cabot Road to Genentech
None of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 or 15163 calling for a subsequent or
supplemental EIR apply. This Addendum has appropriately disclosed the potential impacts of the
Project, and this Addendum will be included as part of the CEQA record for the SSF 2040 GP and the
Genentech Master Plan. A Notice of Determination for this Addendum will be filed with the California
State Clearinghouse within the State of California Office of Planning and Research.
Addendum to the SSF 2040 General Plan EIR and Genentech Master Plan EIR – General Plan, Master Plan and Zoning
Amendments and Roadway Acquisitions page 47
Sources
California, SWRCB GeoTracker website, accessed at:
https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/map/?global_id=T10000009086
Fehr & Peers, Analysis of Potential Closure of DNA Way and Point San Bruno Boulevard, February 10,
2025
Nelson Nygaard, Genentech South San Francisco Campus Mode Share and Parking Report, Fall of 2023
South San Francisco (SSF), South San Francisco 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments
and Climate Action Plan, October 2022
--- SSF, South San Francisco 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate
Action Plan EIR, (State Clearinghouse No. 2021020064), September 6, 2022
--- SSF, Genentech Master Plan, January 2020
--- SSF, Genentech Master Plan EIR, (State Clearinghouse No. 2017052064), October 2019
Exhibit B
Genentech 2020 Master Plan Update EIR and Appendices
Links:
• Draft EIR
• Final EIR
• Technical Appendices
Exhibit C
SSF 2040 General Plan Update EIR and Appendices
Links:
-Draft EIR
-Final EIR
-Appendix A – NOP and Scoping Comments
-Appendix B – Air Quality, Energy and GHG Supporting Information
-Appendix C – Biological Resources Supporting Information
-Appendix D – Cultural Resources – Tribal Cultural Resources Supporting Information
-Appendix E – Geology, Soils, and Seismicity Supporting Information
-Appendix F – Hazards and Hazardous Materials Supporting Information
-Appendix G – Noise Supporting Information
-Appendix H – Transportation Supporting Information